


let's play a game

by Betyouwatchthesunsettoo



Category: Red White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston
Genre: I don't really know how these tags work, M/M, Really Short Chapters, coffee shop AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:29:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27470491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Betyouwatchthesunsettoo/pseuds/Betyouwatchthesunsettoo
Summary: Alex is having a rough day and Henry is a stranger happens to want to play a game( I suck at giving summaries but I swear it get somewhat better)
Relationships: Alex Claremont-Diaz/Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor
Comments: 4
Kudos: 32





	1. chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first time publishing my work, and they are really small chapter cause I lose focus and my plot if they are not, it is somewhat based on a movie a watch a while ago. 
> 
> i hope you enjoy :)

Alex walks inside a small coffee shop, the type of coffee shop that makes you forget about the world around you, and that is exactly what Alex needed right now. He walks up to the checkout counter. 

“ What do you recommend?” he asked, his voice slow and seems as he is caring the weight of the entire world.

“ We usually serve coffee but if you want something strong we got vodka.” 

“ sure, whatever, it could not make me feel any worse,” he says as he walks to a nearby table and sits down, he feels someone watching him and finds a tall blond man turning to look at the book he is holding in his hand, Alex scoff and goes to check his phone waiting for a text and when he looks back up the tall blond man is sitting right in front of him smiling somewhat wildly. He was about to open his mouth when the other interrupted him  
“ my nan just died”

“ i- okay, who are you?”

“ that doesn’t matter, as time goes we will find our own name only we can call each other”   
Alex chuckles and is really considering finding an excuse to leave but something about the blond man with a really cute face makes him want to stay, also his vodka just arrived and he was not going to let that go to waste. His train of thought was interrupted once again with that voice of the beautiful stranger in front of him. 

“ You know how little kids go up to each and ask ‘let’s play a game’ and then they become friends and all of that happy crap, let's do that ” Alex just noticed the British accent that is somewhat fainted.

“ Okay so, what are we playing?” 

“ Ah you see that is the difference between us and little kids, they need to know what they are about to play, us, on the other hand, we are going to find out on our own.” The smile that the blond is wearing is so contagious that it makes Alex forget all about the terrible last few weeks he has been having. 

“ Okay, are there any rules?”

“ We can’t use our phones to communicate-”

“ How are we going to meet up then?” Alex feels a certain smugness at finding a flaw in the blond's plan, something that now that he realises is the longest he has been without insulting a person, but there is something about the blond, maybe the way his eyes sparkle, like if he has been set free in some way. 

“ There is this method that has been working for years and I don’t see why it shouldn’t work right now, so-” he stops to write and address in his napkin “ meet me here around the same time” he takes a pause, “ also we can’t find any information about each other, and the most obvious one you cant fall in love with me”

That spikes Alex’s attention. Does this blond man with perfect hair really think that Alex can fall in love with him,, not because his hair looks so soft and pretty and Alex really want to touch it and he has a a perfect stupid face mean he would fall in love with him! 

“Deal. let’s play a game”


	2. chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this looked longer in my docs :(

Alex is pacing around. He needs to make a list, he needs to talk to Nora and June.

“ wait, so let me get this straight, you accepted a deal from a total stranger cause you didn’t want to lose a game ?” Nora is staring right into Alex's soul, and if he is doing the worst possible thing imaginable, which now that he thinks about it, it could end pretty badly.

“ Well, it's not like I am going to fall for him, plus i am in a relationship ?” Alex defenders himself as he sits down on the couch

“ bug, not to burst your bubble but you won’t shut up about his hair” June pipes in, while she is passes the bottle of wine to Nora 

“ this kinda sounds like a romance novel, ooh there is something totally Shakespearean about this.” Nora adds from her place on the floor 

Alex doesn’t notice that he has been pulling on his eyebrows until he feels Junes hand over his   
“ bug, don’t worry okay? You got to move on, i honestly think this is a good idea, what she did to you is not okay and you gotta let it go.” She is now hugging him while she takes the bottle of wine from Nora's hands. 

Alex has always been a reasonable person, he likes the truth, he likes logic and facts. He never believed in love, and all that sappy crap about love being blinding, until he met her. Her with her big smile, and kind heart. Her flowy dresses and tan skin. He really was fooled, he thought he was in love, and to find her in their bed with some other man, it hurt. 

“ I’m doing it, I’m going” He takes a deep breath and for the first time in a while he feels alive.


	3. chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i will try to upload next week

Alex has never felt more nervous, okay yes, the day he got engaged was pretty nerve wracking, and that the day he was waiting for his acceptance letter from college was pretty stressing too. But he knew what would happen after, He would get engaged, then get married and build a family, obviously that was now not really possible as, she is sleeping with some other man “ and we are on a temporary break” which started a year ago, and Alex is starting to believe it is not temporary, but he’s always been a little slow. And as for college, he knew he was going to get in, it was a given, he has been preparing for this since he can remember. But this, this is different. He has no idea who this man is, he has no clue what his name is, or where he is from. Now he could have just searched up “ tall blond man in new york” but he wouldn’t get answers plus this was a game, and Alex never loses.   
As he arrived at the address in the napkin, he realised he is in some sort of museum, it is not like alex hasn’t been to museums, it's just that he doesn’t have time, between college and finding out your fianceé cheated on you, it’s a lot. So when he finds out it is the museum he has been dying to visit now for weeks, he is pretty excited. He walks up to the main entrance, he planned it out, the timing is precisely right, not too early to seem overly eager and not too late to seem uninterested, he sits down and waits. And waits, he for some reason stays, he feels like it is not like the blond to not show up and that he has some reason to be late. So 30 minutes later when he sees a tall man running towards him, he feels relieved. 

“ You are late” Alex states, and no he is not looking at how red the blond’s cheeks look from the cold and running, and how cute it makes him look.

“ A prince is never late” he simply says while entering the building.

“ and what are you? Prince fucking charming?” Alex question 

“ i- never said such things, and what about you, going around as if your parents run the country and no harm can be done to you” He is quick to shoot back, Alex likes that, he likes some that can keep up with him. 

“ Whatever you say your highness” Alex mumbles under his breath , and they talk. 

They talk about everything, and for some reason it is easy, he told him about June and Nora,and how he grew up in texas, and his parents split up when he was in his teens. And he told him about the list and the planning and the course overload he gave himself to forget. And prince fucking charming, told him about he grew up in england, with his grandmother, and his siblings. About how his father was an actor and then died a few years ago, and how his mother shut down after his death, and about how he used to dream of leaving england and going somewhere else to study literature. He told   
Alex about his friend Pez and how he would not be here without his help. And before they know it it is dark and the museum is about to close. 

“ I had a fun time today” and for the first time Alex is being sincere, he doesn’t really have fun with other people outside of June and Nora. 

“ I did too-” and last minute adds “ Mr. First son” 

Alex smiles, and he has no idea why such a silly nickname makes him so happy, it shouldn’t make him this happy. Alex usually would ask for their number now, but he can’t, so he really doesn’t know what to do. So he just kind of stands there. 

“ so, uhm, will we see each other again?” 

“ perhaps, I hope so” the blond responds, and then quickly he hugs Alex and presses his lips to his cheeks. “ so i’ll see you around” and next thing alex know he is standing alone in the entrance of a museum


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter 4, 5 and 6 are up now!

4

Who does he think he is, prince fucking charming, going around kissing him on his cheeks and then leaving like if he committed some interational crime and of top of that fucking ghosting him for a week. Okay, so maybe the last one was a given as they know nothing about each other except, maybe their darkest secret. But still Alex has been going to that coffee shop when they met, every single day of the week, after his class. The least he could do to Alex is tell him he is not interested. Which he them remembers the rules and don't fall in love with me. Alex is not in love though, right?

So as Alex is about to leave the coffee shop and he sees that familiar blond, he is fuming. He walks up to him determined to give him a piece of his mind, when he sees his eyes are red and he looks like he hasn’t slept in years, Alex get worried 

“ My ex called me” his normally cheerful voice is slow and sound tried. 

“Oh” is all that Alex seems to get out, he doesn’t know to respond to that, he’s never been good at expressing feeling. But for some reason what he is about to say next just feels right, “ tell me a about it” 

And Prince charming does, he tells him about how he ran away from home because of his homophobic family, and how when he first got here he met a man, he embarrassed admits a bit older than himself, but he was so fascinated with the idea of being free and in love that he fell, for that man that would send him text everymorning, and calls at night, of the man that would quote poetry to him and know all about the literature language. And then he tells him about the first time he cheated on him and how heartbroken he was that when he came around to explain he forgave him and how he thought he fell in love again, and he quotes more poetry and sends flowers, although they were never his favourite flowers. And how he thought that he changed. Until a year ago , when he took him out to a cafe, and told him he didn’t love him and that he was seeing a woman, for quite some time. And how he felt so stupid, for trusting him, for ignoring Pez who told him he was no good news, and how he cried but vowed to himself that he would never go back to him or some other man. And lastly he tells him about the call, how after weeks of knowing nothing about him, he calls him. And how for once in his life he stood up to him and he told him everything he wanted to say to him and how he hates him for ruining his life and the idea of love. 

“ And it was all because of you, you and that fire in your heart.” the blond finally says. 

Alex feels like it’s a lot to take in, and he has some new found respect to the blond in front of him, and he this he is so brave and amazing, for running away and going to some unknown country and he want to say so much more to him but he can’t, because he is not in love. So instead he says 

“ Wow, I’m glad you told me.” and he hopes he can tell all he is feeling at that time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i didn't really edit it but i hope you enjoyed it


	5. Chapter 5

5

They keep talking for a few weeks and they get closer, and closer and alex does not want to panic, because this is not a thing, they don’t even know their names. But oh he so desperately wants to know his name, because god dammit he knows everything about him, and he knows what his sister is called and knows his favourite type of soup, Alex doesn’t even know June's favourite soup. And prince charming know EVERYTHING about him,stuff that not even Nora and June know, so when they are here in the middle of the night watching the stars in the countryside, he so desperately want to kiss him, and tell him how in love he is and how he loves his hair and his mind and his laugh, he want to wake up to him everyday and know every corner of his body. 

“ uhm, Prince?” and then there are those damn nicknames, who calls a total stranger prince? Alex that's who.

The blond makes a noise of acknowledgement, but Alex feels like he should have his whole attention so he nudges him. The other seems to get that it is a serious matter adn stands up a little and fully faces Alex. His mouth goes dry, he is about to be vulnerable with another person, last time that happened it ended up badly. 

“ right, listen to me and please don’t say anything until i finish please.-” Alex takes a breath and he faintly feels him squeeze his hand, which really isn’t helping “ I know you said, at the beginning and I tried I really did. But I do I really do” 

“You do what” 

Alex faintly realises he didn’t say it. He had been so nervous he didn’t actually say those words. 

“ I love you” 

The hand on his hand suddenly leaves and he feels really cold and he starts to wonder if he did it wrong, if he read the whole thing wrong.

“ uhm right well then, it’s getting late” he starts to sand up and Alex just stays there because he doesn’t know what to do, or what to say. He feels the blond pull him up and then they are driving and Alex is benign dropped of at his apartment, which he doesn’t remember tell him where it was, and then he is out of the car and he hears 

“ bye Alex.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter, I don't really like how I ended things, but I hope you enjoy it! 💕

6

Alex. Alex. ALEX, that piece of shit, that fucking blond knew who he was along,He knew what his name was and who he was. And he didn’t even bother telling Alex so! That hypocrite, was dishonest the whole time therefore Alex won, yes he know that it isn’t the most important part but let him have his moment, He knew who he was, or did he? How did he know who he was? Now Alex although has some sense of pride, to not going after a man that does not love him back, he demands some answers. 

It has been 2 weeks. 2 week after that happened, Alex has been going to every place they went together and has been going back to that coffee shop, every single day. As usually he is sitting in the table where they first met, with a bunch of law books spread around and a sandwich in his mouth. When he feels a presence watching him, he looks up, It is him. A rush of anger comes at him, because how dare he, ghost him AGAIN and come back as if nothing happened. 

“Alex, listen to me.” He starts off but Alex doesn’t want to listen he wants answers, and he wants them now. 

“ no! You listen to me you obtuse fucking asshole, you don’t get to to ghost me for a week and then come back and act the way you say you did and say you felt nothing. You know my fucking name! You cheated!” 

“I- i deserved that, I want to apologize and explain myself” 

“ I want your name first” 

“ Henry” 

“Henry?”

“henry.”

Henry.Henry.Henry. Alex hate how much he loves the name when he says it outloud 

“ Alex, I’m so sorry, let me explain. You remember about my ex, right-” Alex nods “ well when he broke up with me I became upset and I wanted to know what she had that I didn't, apart from the obvious. So I followed him and I found her and i followed her around, and then i saw you” he pauses to look at Alex in the eye “ you were with her, and I didn’t know if you were on the same situation as me, being cheated on and I hated her, for hurting me and hurting you. Because you looked so in love and I didn't know what to do. I went up to her and asked her to break up with you if she was to continue seeing my ex, and she said your name.” 

Alex want to interrupt but he sees the look in henry’s eyes and stops 

“ Anyway, I forgot about you until I saw you that day at the coffee shop and I just knew, I had to do something, And my nan had just died so I felt more free, but I didn’t want to be like them in case she was still with you. And I did the next logical thing my mind said and that was, act like this is one of your romance novels. And I did, And my god when i saw that fire in yours eyes, Alex, when I said it was a game. I knew then and there you were going to be the end of me” He stops and seems to be finished and Alex feel that it is appropriate to ask the only question left in his mind now.

“Why did you leave then, Henry?” 

Henry seems taken back by the question, and seems like is choosing his words wisely

“ I thought you were and are the most incredible thing I have ever seen, and I had better keep it a safe distance away from me. I thought, if someone like that ever loved me, it would set me on fire. But you had the audacity to love me back” 

Alex is speechless, he really doesn’t know how a person can come up with such answers but then he remembers something

“ i might not be able to quote you poetry, but i’ll quote you love letter of history if you let me”

Henry simply nods.

**Author's Note:**

> since they are small chapter I will try to post 3 chapters at a time


End file.
